The distant horizon showed a pale White glow, and the rain that had poured all night finally began to fade. Cold, wet wind swept across the scorched land piled with corpses, yet it could not carry away the thick stench of blood and burnt flesh. Konoha Ninja and Kumogakure Ninja were still killing each other amid the ruins.
Buzz. A deep pressure seemed to press down from the sky onto the battlefield, and though the ground did not shake, the air suddenly turned heavy and hard to breathe. Every Ninja, whether from Konoha or Kumogakure, raised their head without thinking.
In the next moment, they saw darkness spreading from the distant sky at a visible speed. It did not look like storm clouds, but more like a vast shadow that quickly swallowed the pale dawn light in the east, dragging the world back into night. Yet the scene came fast and left just as fast.
After only a few breaths, the darkness retreated like a curtain being pulled aside, and dawn light returned to the land as if everything before had been an illusion. Before anyone could calm down, a roar that did not sound human exploded from one corner of the battlefield. All eyes turned at once.
A tall black figure wearing a bone mask as pale as White appeared at the center of the clash between Konoha and Kumogakure. After throwing its head back and roaring, the massive Great Hollow slowly lowered its gaze, red eyes sweeping across the stunned faces of Konoha Ninja.
This was only the beginning, and the change in Nurui was not an isolated case. As this lower ranked Great Hollow was born, corpses across the battlefield began to change as well. Those Ninja who had died with intense regret, rage, and hatred twisted as the rules of the Void Realm covered the entire Ninja World.
Rip. Rip. Rip. Bodies tore open like cocoons, and dozens of ordinary Xu with different shapes crawled out, each covered by a pale White mask and giving off a cold aura. Whether Konoha Ninja or Kumogakure Ninja, everyone was shaken by this scene that went beyond understanding.
"What is that thing?" "Nurui? What did he turn into?" "Those dead people, they came back to life?"
Under the cold pressure, the surrounding Ninja stepped back without thinking, staring in terror at the monsters crawling from the corpses. The Xu ignored their fear completely. Behind the masks, only red light remained, filled with Greed for living souls and a desire for destruction known as Wang.
"Roar!" The Great Hollow born from Nurui roared again, opening its black mouth as dark red energy gathered inside. Cero erupted.
Boom. A thick dark red beam blasted out like a cannon, screaming as it tore through the air. The Great Hollow slowly turned its head, and the beam swept around like the scythe of Shinigami.
Wherever the red light passed, whether Konoha Ninja or Kumogakure Ninja, defense or flight made no difference. Everything was instantly erased, leaving only a scorched path rising with Ao smoke. Not even a scream had time to escape.
When the beam faded, a huge blackened circle remained on the battlefield. People, weapons, corpses, and stone within it were completely wiped away, leaving only a single trail of Ao smoke. The sight froze everyone who saw it.
"That was Nurui? That deserter?" "You have to be joking." "A monster, it's a monster."
On the side of Kumogakure, the Ninja stared in disbelief. One strike had erased dozens of them. Fear spread rapidly, and the fear leaking from their bodies only made the Xu more excited.
The ordinary Xu let out sharp screams and rushed toward the stunned Ninja. Slaughter began. Screams echoed again, but this time it was no longer shinobi killing each other, it was one sided hunting and devouring.
The Xu ignored sides, tearing Ninja apart with claws and even clinging to them to suck out their souls through the masks. Those whose souls were taken went wide eyed as blurred spirits were pulled from their bodies until all light vanished from their eyes. Silence followed.
With the rules of the Void Realm spreading across the Ninja World, changes appeared even Yunchuan Hyuga had not expected. These Xu could now feed not only on souls, but also on mental energy released by intense emotions. In the Ninja World, such beings had a shared name.
They were called demons.
"Monster, die!" A terrified Kumogakure Ninja slashed at the Great Hollow, only to stumble as if sinking into shadow and feel bone chilling cold. In the next instant, the creature pierced his chest and pulled out his soul.
Far away, a Konoha Ninja used Fire Release, but the flames passed straight through the Great Hollow as if it had no body. Its red eyes locked onto the attacker, and dark red light gathered again. At that critical moment, a huge shadow fell over it.
"Take this from Lord Jiraiya, the crushing stall technique!" A loud and ridiculous shout rang out as a mountain sized toad fell from the sky. The impact slammed directly onto the Great Hollow, shaking the battlefield with a thunderous roar.
The ground trembled violently, and everything nearby was blown away. The beam gathering in the monster's mouth collapsed, and it was pinned beneath the massive weight. When the dust settled, a giant red toad with a pipe and a Short Sword appeared.
Seeing the figure standing on the toad's head, the spirits of Konoha Ninja rose at once. They shouted Jiraiya's name, though some were still coughing from smoke. The toad's single eye scanned the bloody field and drew in a sharp breath at the sight of the Xu.
"Hey, Jiraiya!" the toad growled, annoyed and serious. "What kind of place is this, and why are there so many disgusting things?" "Sorry, Bunta. It's urgent," Jiraiya replied, his face serious as he watched the monsters.
Bunta pressed down harder, his voice heavy. "This feeling is worse than the Tailed Beasts." As he spoke, the cold beneath him suddenly surged. A stronger wave burst out from below.
"Damn it, Jiraiya!" Bunta shouted. "What did you make me sit on, a Jinchuriki?" His eye narrowed as he reacted instantly.
Bunta leapt away just as a thicker red beam shot upward from where he had been. It grazed his belly and tore a hole through the clouds. He landed heavily nearby, leaving a crater, and looked down at the burn on his stomach.
"That was close," he muttered. "That thing is small, but its attack almost cut me open." Jiraiya's expression was grim. Even Bunta's weight had only held it briefly, and Ninjutsu attacks barely worked.
"How did so many of these things appear all at once?" Jiraiya asked. "They look like some kind of demon," Bunta said slowly. "But I've never seen anything like this."
Bunta paused, then added meaningfully that something else was worth worrying about. Jiraiya frowned and decided to test Ninjutsu again. He began forming seals, then suddenly looked up.
Both man and toad stared at the empty looking clouds above. Without words, Bunta kicked off the ground, launching upward with explosive force. At the same time, Jiraiya breathed out flames.
Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bomb. Wind from Bunta fed the fire as it surged into the clouds. Just as the flames were about to enter, a freezing presence poured out.